A couple of hours’ drive from Nafplio, we arrive at Villa Iris in hot and humid conditions, with a thunderstorm threatening. The Villa is backed by a stunning mountain range.
Back door to Villa Iris. Whole house to ourselves.
As Mystras is only 3 km from the Villa, we decide to risk the storm to storm the fortress – built in 1249 by a Frank.
Mystras archaeological site up the side of the naturally-fortified hill of Myzithra.
This fortified town played an important role in the history of the Byzantine Empire until it fell to the Turks in 1460. The hill filled with houses, mansions and palaces, churches and fortied monastries. It flourished and developed into an important cultural centre closely connected with Constantinople.
Looks like a long climb up. Fortunately we could drive up to the Fortress Gate rather than start down here at the Main Gate.Half way up and not puffing too hard!…On the top of the Fortress with the town of Sparta in the background.Great view from the top of the Fortress towards Sparta.Near the Fortress Gate exit is Saint Sophia – the monastery cathedral church built in the late 14th century.
29 June, 2015
A 1.5 hour drive to Monemvassia. 10.15 AM and it’s already 29 deg. C.
A drive over to the SE peninsula to Monemvassia.
The day the Greek Government decided to close the banks – the day before default day.
Monday 29 June – closed for business.
People had been queuing at ATMs all weekend to get their cash out of the banks just in case Greece defaults on its loans to the IMF. We have been making sure that we only eat at restaurants that take Visa debit cards. Our cash has to last the next 18 days before we fly out to Vienna. Let’s hope we don’t have to go earlier!
The Castle of Monemvassia.
On our way home today’s storm caught up with us. 10 degree C drop in temperature within 30 minutes and some serious rain. Last time we saw serious rain was Portoscuso, Sardinia, 3 months ago.
Arriving at Piraeus after our 4.25 hour ferry trip with Blue Star Ferries, we took our pre-booked cab to Athens Airport to collect the hire car. Athens Taxi Transfers are brilliant! The website and online booking were easy; our driver, Angelos, was at the port to meet us; his English was excellent; he and his E-Class Mercedes taxi were immaculate; air conditioning and 2 bottles of chilled water were provided for our hour journey; he took us via the scenic coast road as the highway was congested being a Friday; he phoned Europcars for us to find out where we needed to collect the car; made sure we were at the right place when we arrived at Europcar and when he asked for Euro50 instead of the quoted Euro48 (which we happily paid), he came back a couple of minutes later apologising for his error and the Euro2 change!
The GPS co-ordinates at Nafplio were a little confusing – they actually marked the nearby parking space to the Pension. Dragging our luggage down a ramp and through a gate of the old town wall and down some slippery stone steps we arrived at Pension Marianna which had a commanding view of the port, town, castles, fortress and surrounding hills.
View from our Nafplio Hotel.The Venetian Coat of Arms in the Nafplio Syntagma Square.Some nice shade in the Syntagma Square.
There are lots of alley ways and steep stairs in the old town.
Narrow lane in the old town leading back to our hotel.Palamidi fort taken from the Acronafplia old Castle which is on the Acropolis above our hotel.
The Archaeological Museum is Venetian architecture. The First Parliament building was a mosque.
Taken from in front of the Archeological Museum, Syntagma Square looking at the First Parliament building of Greece up to the wall of the Acronafplia castle.Lynn directing the statue of General Kolokotronis, famous general in the War of Independence. Famous people point, too, apparently!The interesting wick point on a 1678 brass cannon.Even Lynn is longer than this 1698 brass cannon.The view of the coast from the Acronafplia Castle.The Syntagma Square from the old castle.Clear Med waters. Nice for a swim?The director out on a very high wall with a sheer drop to the sea below (Lynn doesn’t suffer my debilitating fear of heights!). She was pointing to what appeared to be an early 1900’s steam-driven yacht moored in a bay along the coast.The Palamidi Fort from the castle entrance.
Along with the locals who ignored the ‘Danger, falling rocks’ sign, we walked along the scenic, paved path around the promonotory which took us from the old castle back to the port.
Greeks take about as much notice of signs as the Italians.The M.Y. Nero in port. Very impressive motor yacht built in 2007. Yours to hire (if you have too much money).The town of Nafplio taken from the Palamidi.The port of Nafplio.On top of the Palamidi with the Bourtzi Fortress out in the bay.The Venetians (who built this fortress between 1687 and 1715) were not very tall.The Acropolis of Nafplio taken from the Palamidi Fort.
Lefkes is a quaint hill-side town between St George Hotel and the port of Parikia. Park at the top of the town and wander down through the meandering alley ways to the Church and the tiny, tidy cemetery beyond.
The Church on the Byzantine road in Lefkes, Paros.The view from Lefkes down the valley with the island of Naxos in the distance.Dinner and a view in Lefkes.The view of the village of Lefkes from the restaurant.The small runway on Paros. No jetliners here.The Paros airport terminal. Even smaller than Albury!Parikia. The main ferry port in Paros where we will be catching the Blue Star Ferry on Friday, 26 June for Piraeus, Athens.The fast jet cats docking at Parikia.Talk about waterfront properties. I would hate to see this place in a big sea.The sunken Venetian fort in Naousa. Built when the sea level was lower.Waves on the small sea wall at Naousa harbour.The fort from the harbour side – several days later on a calm day.
Lots of restaurants but none came near the standard of the Blue Dolphin!
The small fishing harbour at Naousa with restaurants all the way around.
A popular salad in Naousa was the Summer Salad – iceberg lettuce, rocket, figs, orange and pear slices, honey sauce topped with parmesan shavings – delicious!
Watching the fishing net repairs while we have dinner.
The Saint Andreas Hotel was modern with simple lines. It fronted a bay and the nearest ‘beach’ was at least 100 metres down the road. It had very nice staff and a lovely pool – where we spent most of our time.
Our pool resting point at the Saint Andreas resort.Lynn ‘snoring’ by the pool.A drive to Lageri on the north east point of Paros island.Naxos in the distance.Santa Maria beach on the north east of Paros.Getting drunk on a single glass of Ouzo at dinner just around the bay from our resort.
After numerous attempts to get to Paros from Athens (hurdles like: no ferry schedules, no return flights, websites all in Greek, our booked ferry being cancelled 2 weeks before departure and a one-way flight hastily booked instead) we finally made it for our 2 week stay. This was despite Rob’s repeated threats at each hurdle to give our Greek Island stay a miss. Perhaps because he wasn’t all that fussed with some of the other Cyclades islands – Santorini, Mykonos and Delos – that we visited during our recent Mediterranean cruise. He’s now glad, and so am I, that he persevered. I’d enjoyed previous holidays on Rhodes, Simi, Halki, Crete, Santorini and Corfu so was really looking forward to a new Greek island in Paros.
Why paradise? Gorgeous sandy beaches and vistas, crystal clear blue waters, architecture in white and blue, traditional laid-back lifestyle, delicious food, good weather, warm, hospitable people, barren landscapes with isolated chapels and villages, and few tourists this time of year.
Week 1 is 12-19 June at the Saint George Hotel (Tsardakia Beach, Nea Chrysi Akti, SE coast of Paros) and Week 2 is 19-26 June at the Saint Andreas Resort Hotel (Naousa, north coast of Paros).
The mandatory view from our hotel room.The beach view from our hotel room – small sandy beach with clear blue water and few people.
Saturday – 13 June, 2015
We decide to drive the main ring road around the centre/south of the island driving through: Marpisa, Lefkes, Marathi, Paros Port (Parikia) Pounda (ferry port to the adjacent island of Antiparos), Alyki, Gilfa, Drios and home. At the same time calling into some of the beaches: Parasporos on the west coast and Faranga, Gilfa, Lolandoni, Driou and Hrisi Akti along the south coast.
A drive up the nearby steep hill to the Church of Ayios Antonios to see the south-east coast of Paros.The beach of Molos from the hill-top church.Our Nissan Micra managed to make it to the top (just). Another “wheel barrow” car but it will do for this tiny island.Down at Paros Port when the Blue Star Ferry arrived.Main Street of Paros Port.A visit to Parasporos beach during our drive around the southern part of the island.Lynn adjusted to this lifestyle very quickly. Parasporos beach cafe.Parasporos beach looking at the north side. This is supposed to be a body surf beach but no waves today.Alyki Bay. We returned for dinner overlooking the bay.A typical Cyclades-style windmill which has been restored complete with canvas sails. This one was converted to a restaurant.Sunset view from our restaurant table at Alyki Bay.Quaint little restaurant right on the water’s edge.Octopus hung out to dry outside the restaurant.The Alyki restaurant from the road side.
Sunday – 14 June, 2015
From our balcony we noticed a Taverna next door to the hotel – the Paros Blue Dolphin – so decided to check out whether its claims of ‘incredible view & delicious food’ were true. They were!
View from our table on the terrace at the Paros Blue Dolphin restaurant.Our hotel, the Saint George Hotel.Tough life by the hotel’s pool.
Just below the hotel the beach is golden and clean. The water is quite warm and crystal clear with just a ripple for a wave which is typical of the Med. However, there is a strange phenomenon that occurs at 1:15 pm and 4:00 pm each day. For about 10 minutes twice a day there is a 1 meter wave suitable for a short body surf and very short board ride. Just before “wave time” the locals stand on the shore with their surf boards and wait for “wave time”.
I managed to get a few body surf rides in for these sessions. Talk about desperate for a surf! It didn’t take long to work out what causes this phenomenon. A rather large (must be very inefficient) ferry passes by the island northbound at 12:55 pm and southbound at 3:40 pm well out to sea from the island. 20 minutes later when the ferry is almost out of sight the waves roll in for 10 minutes of fun surfing and watching the sun tanners get surprised. Despite this being a twice daily event the same sun tanners get surprised every time. Great fun to watch as well as having a surf.
Monday – 15 June, 2015
The food was so good at the Blue Dolphin we went back the following evening with the promise that the chef would make Rob’s favourite dish – crumbed cutlets. The owner (Petros) was so taken by the flavour that crumbed cutlets may appear as a menu item soon! While there we were introduced by Petros to his guests, friends of his cousin Theo who lives in Bondi. Leon and Sam were married a couple of days ago in Sydney and headed to Greece for their honeymoon.
Leon and Samantha Efu from Sans Souci in Sydney, Australia and Petros Massouras, the owner of the Blue Dolphin Taverna.The view of the bay from the Blue Dolphin with the island of Naxos on the horizon. This photo also includes Lynn and Aneta and was taken after the imbibing of souma (Greek grappa).
Another delayed AlItalia flight from Fiumicino Airport meant we arrived late at Athens Airport on Friday, 5 June. At least the chaos we experienced a month ago in FCO Terminal 1 had disappeared. An easy 45-minute (Euro 35 fixed price) taxi drive took us along a freeway then through the unexpectedly clean, relatively quiet, well-ordered and leafy streets of Athens and deposited us at the Ilissos Hotel, Koukaki for our week’s stay. The hotel is about 20 minutes’ walk south west down the main street of Andrea Singrou from Hadrian’s Gate situated at the beginning of the Plaka district.
The Acropolis view from the rooftop garden of our hotel.
Sunday – 7 June, 2015
We planned to take the Citysightseeing HOHO (Hop On Hop Off) Bus around the Athens town route. When we arrived at the Hadrian’s Gate stop just before 11 AM, we took advantage of the daily photo walking tour first.
The tree-lined pedestrian mall (Dionysiou Areopagitou Street) that runs past the New Acropolis Museum up to the Acropolis.The oldest Distillery in Athens.The oldest house still standing in the old part of Athens – Anafiotika – at the base of the Acropolis.The remains of the Roman Agora (market place).Too many stray cats in Athens.Old town Athens. It is hard to believe that the population of Athens was just 4,000 in 1820.The original gateway to the Roman Agora.Everything is dominated by the Acropolis in Athens.Hadrian’s Library ruins.The only surviving Mosque in Athens – from the Ottoman Empire days – which is now an Art Gallery.Busking in the Monastiraki Square at the NW edge of the Plaka district.Gina took us for the 1.5 hour photo walking tour of the Plaka district in Athens.
We then jumped on the HOHO Bus at the Monastiraki Square stop ….
The Hellenic Parliament Building which was converted from the Royal Palace of King Otto of Greece, a Bavarian prince.
…and got off at the National Archaeological Museum for a couple of hours.
The National Archaeological Museum of Greece.Some very good examples of pottery from 500 BC.“A couple of old cows” I said aloud, as I took this photo.The God Zeus. But which is the real one?
You can tell that Rob writes most of the photo captions….
A 2,500 year old skeleton.
Monday – 8 June, 2015
Now that we had completed our orientation tour on the HOHO bus the day before, we rocked up to the Athens Segway Tour Co. for our pre-booked 3.5 hour ‘Ultimate Acropolis Tour’ which included circumnavigating the Acropolis via the parkland where the Pnyka and Observatory were located, the Ancient and Roman Agora and back through the streets of Plaka to the office, then a quick walk to the entrance of the Acropolis via the Theatre of Dionysis and the Odeon of Herodes Atticus.
Dressed for a chukka? No? Must be for Segway then.View of the Ancient (Greek) Agora and the reconstructed Thesseion (the Temple of Hephaestus).The reconstructed Stoa of Attalus. This was the first two-storied shopping mall in the world built around 200 BC.The Areopagus rock – the world’s first high court. This is a rocky outcrop giving the public and the gods full view of the proceedings and from where St Paul gave his sermon to the Athenians.The original Athens observatory.The Pynka – the birthplace of democracy and The Orator’s Bema (not the car but where proposed laws were debated).Us on our Segways at one of many Byzantine Churches.The Herod Atticus Odeum – completed in 174 AD with 4,560 capacity – where they were setting up to show “Tosca” as part of the annual Athens Festival, now running for 52 years.Panos, our tour guide for the Acropolis.The Propylaia structure which is the original entrance to the Acropolis.A warm but slightly cloudy day on the Acropolis.Looking down at the Temple of the Olympian Zeus.The view of the Ancient Agora.The Parthenon – under reconstruction for preservation.Great views from the wall at the edge of the Acropolis.The Erechtheion temple and the copies of the 6 stone maidens called the Karyatides.The director discussing the Ionic columns.The Erechtheion temple from the other side where Athena supposedly struck the rock with her spear and created an olive tree.
As it turned out, the Segway part had 4 ‘charioteers’ plus Natasha, the guide, and lasted 3 hours. The Acropolis tour was just us and our guide, Panos, and lasted 1.5 hours.
The leafy streets of the Plaka district create welcome relief from the hot sunshine.Frozen yoghurt and strawberries also help in the heat.
At the end of the tour we were near Hadrian’s Gate, the Temple of the Olympian Zeus and the Athens Stadium, so we headed that way.
The Corinthian columns of the Temple of Zeus.This Temple was completed by Hadrian during the Roman occupation of Athens and this area represented the boundary between Ancient Athens and the Roman extension of Athens.One of the columns in the foreground was blown over in a huge storm in the 19th Century.The Zeus Temple is still a magnificent structure although only about 20% remains.The Panathenaic Stadium – the birthplace of the modern Olympics. This stadium was rebuilt over the original Olympic stadium for the first International Olypmic Games in 1896. The original stadium was founded in 329 BC.The Acropolis at night from our Hotel roof garden.
Tuesday – 9 June, 2015
As our Acropolis entrance ticket gave us ‘free’ entry to the Ancient Agora we called in there on our way to the markets on Athinas Street then on to the funicular to take us to Ag. Georgious church at the top of Lycabettus Hill.
The Stoa of Attalus up close. It would have been a huge market place in its day.The pillars of the reconstructed Thesseion are a little out of alignment, probably due to a number of earthquakes in Athens.At the North West end of the Ancient Agora.Yes dear. I got a shot of the columns.
Actually, I was pointing to the detailed frieze behind the columns…
Lynn found a turtle that followed her around all day!
Actually, I saw 2 turtles in the garden and this one was way too busy eating berries to follow anyone around…
The temple from the side view.A cable car trip to the top of Lycabettus Hill. Great view of the Acropolis, Athens and Piraeus Harbour from up here.
Wednesday – 10 June, 2015
A wander through the New Acropolis Museum which was opened in 2009. It houses original artifacts from the Acropolis including the original 5 Karyatides. The 6th was stolen by Lord Elgin while he vandalised, looted and damaged the Acropolis in 1821. The 6th is now on display in the British Museum.
Two of the five original Karyatides in the Acropolis Museum.The view of the Acropolis from the Acropolis Museum.Dinner at Ydira restaurant in the Plaka District.A nice cold Greek beer after a long tourist day. At least the beer is drinkable unlike Greek wine.
Thursday – 11 June, 2015
When the Metro was being constructed for the 2004 Olympics, lots of artifacts came to light. We visited the archaeological display in the Syndagma Metro Station, went upstairs to view the Presidential Guards at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in front of the Hellenic Parliament Building, then wandered down through the National Gardens to view the Zappeion Exhibition and Congress Hall.
An Evzone or soldier of the Presidential Guard in his skirt, tassled cap and pom pom clogs in front of the Parliament Building.The changing of the guards’ process reminded us of John Cleese’s Ministry of Silly Walks.The Zeppion Mansion which was originally the Olympic Committee headquarters and is now an Exhibition and Conference Centre.In the courtyards of the Zappeion Building.The Jacaranda trees along the entrance road to the Zappeion.
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